# WHY did Illegal Immigration become an Issue Now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 7, 2006, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709 "2006-04-07T13:08:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spezza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Spezza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spezza)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/21 "2006-04-07T19:39:46Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > GWB has said he wants immigration issues to be the hallmark of his time in office. If any single United State citizen can be made to believe this… :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/22 "2006-04-07T21:46:43Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > The ability to move things on and off the political front burner is a very powerful tool. Remember how Bill Clinton somehow made eveyone talk about cigarette machines? > > I do not follow US politics too closely anymore, but I am amazed how important the issue of illegal immigration became so quickly. > > Who raised this issue first? Why? For that matter, when? It seems I must have been on the plane when all this hit the front pages. In California, it’s been going on longer than that. [Illegal Immigration and Public Health](http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=iic_immigrationissuecenters64bf) [The High Cost of Cheap Labor - CIS](http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscal.html) [In California, for instance, between 1993 and 2003, 60 hospitals closed because of over 50% of unpaid services, and another 24 California hospitals closed in 2004.](http://www.newswithviews.com/Cosman/madeleine.htm) [L.A. Emergency Rooms Full of Illegal Immigrants](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,150750,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/23 "2006-04-07T22:53:40Z")
[conspiracy mode] The U.S. doesn’t dare close its borders to Mexico completely. Doing so would make the pot boil over and oust Fox. Mexico and the U.S: both needs the inofficial movement across the border or there could be a leftist ([cough]Chavez[/cough]) goverment in Ciudad de Mexico, which would not be beneficial to U.S. interest. [/] ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/24 "2006-04-07T23:56:29Z")
My view : Bush and the Republican’s numbers are down because of Iraq, so they are looking for a distraction, and appealing to their base at the same time. Since a major part of the Republican appeal is an appeal to bigotry, they’re pushing bigoted issues like the eeevilll illegal immigrants. And yes, it _is_ about bigotry and not about them breaking the law; if it wasn’t, the Republicans would be pushing at least as hard for a crackdown on the employers of illegal labor. Instead, they want to stomp on poor brown people, and give tax breaks to rich people. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/25 "2006-04-08T00:24:20Z")
My conclusion is that people want illegal immigration. They must, because they give jobs to illegals. Take the congressman who employs an illegal nanny, or the ranch owner who likes paying $5.00/cash for his workers. The praoblem is thta now, the COSTS of illegal immigration are beginning to be felt-hospitals providing free care, schools overwhelmed with non-english speaking kids, and uninsured drivers having accidents. As usual, the politicians don’t care-they don’t even enforce existing laws. For example: an illegal alien was found to be working at a US Government job (false identity)-what did the Feds do? They gave him amnesty. Also, the Democrats see illegal immigration as their big chance-which is why people like Sen. Kennedy talk a lot and do nothing. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/26 "2006-04-08T00:40:02Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > My view : Bush and the Republican’s numbers are down because of Iraq, so they are looking for a distraction, and appealing to their base at the same time. Since a major part of the Republican appeal is an appeal to bigotry, they’re pushing bigoted issues like the eeevilll illegal immigrants. > > And yes, it _is_ about bigotry and not about them breaking the law; if it wasn’t, the Republicans would be pushing at least as hard for a crackdown on the employers of illegal labor. Instead, they want to stomp on poor brown people, and give tax breaks to rich people. Read closely the link provided in this thread by me [http://www.westgov.org/](http://www.westgov.org/) notice the Governor’s who are pushing for immigration reform? Now take off the blinders and look at the political affiliations, notice something? Bonus points, which governor recently authorized sending more National Guard troops to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into that state, and what political party does that person belong too? ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/27 "2006-04-08T00:41:31Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I think what the OP is asking, though, is why now? I admit I don’t know either. Illegal immigration, sp. from Mexico, has been going on for years. Why is it such a huge to-do in 2006, and not 2000, or 1996, or 2012? > > Has something happened - a surge in numbers, some incident, what? It _has_ been a big to-do all this time, though admittedly I’m more up on the details than most people are. There was debate in Congress of a comprehensive immigration reform as far back as 2000 - 2001, and it was even part of GWB’s talks with Vicente Fox. But then 9/11 happened, and there was no way in Hell anyone on the U.S. side was going to do anything to let in more people. Even Fox pretty much let it lie all this time. Also, GWB is a lame duck at this point, so the potential sacrifice to him personally for supporting comprehensive immigration reform (and God forbid anyone call this plan an “amnesty,” no sirree) is pretty minimal. But another thing that hasn’t been reported at all in the mainstream media; not only would the current compromise bill allow millions of undocumented immigrants to legalize and eventually get green cards, but there are many goodies in there for legal, employment-based immigration. The H-1B quota would be nearly doubled, green card quotas in employment-based categories would be significantly increased, dependents of green card applicants would no longer be counted against the quotas (effectively at least doubling the number of cases that could be approved), large numbers of people with advanced degrees in science, tech, and engineering fields would be exempt from green card quotas entirely, and people coming to the U.S. for advanced degrees in these fields would be allowed to apply for green cards immediately upon graduation by payment of a feee, without an employer sponsoring them at all. The full text of the bill is [here;](http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=18957) start reading around Sec. 507, if it doesn’t give you a headache. Eva Luna, Immigration Paralegal ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/28 "2006-04-08T00:41:41Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Also, **the Democrats see illegal immigration as their big chance** -which is why people like Sen. Kennedy talk a lot and do nothing. What does that mean? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/29 "2006-04-08T00:44:37Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > My conclusion is that people want illegal immigration. They must, because they give jobs to illegals. Take the congressman who employs an illegal nanny, or the ranch owner who likes paying $5.00/cash for his workers. You know, I keep telling dudes here, but they never listen. The vast majority of “Illegals” are paid exactly the same as legal migrant workers (which isn’t bad money BTW\*). They have to be. See, with the current law, if you get some copies of half-way decent fake ID’s from your migrant workers, when the INS raids you can maintain “plausible deniability” and thus avoid fines and such. But if you were paying the Illegals half what you were paying the green-carded workers, that’s be proof positive that the Boss knew they were Illegals. Thus, it’s “get a set of fake ID and pretend they are all Legals”; including pay. Oh sure, you’ll read an occasional story about illegals being kept in near-slavery; but they are newsworthy\* because\* they are unusual. \*A good field hand can get $900/wk when picking strawberries- and that crop is generally regrded as the bottom of the totem pole for farm hands. Mind you- that’s 10 hours a day, six days a week of backbreaking labor out admist the nasty pesticides and such. _Very_ hard work. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/30 "2006-04-08T01:38:57Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > There’s an all right [article](http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060410ta_talk_cassidy) about it in “The New Yorker” this week. > > The most pertinent tidbit. . . Damn my mail system. I just got my New Yorker today and I was going to point this exact quote out. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/31 "2006-04-08T01:45:14Z")
> [@Der Trihs](#): > > My view : Bush and the Republican’s numbers are down because of Iraq, so they are looking for a distraction, and appealing to their base at the same time. Since a major part of the Republican appeal is an appeal to bigotry, they’re pushing bigoted issues like the eeevilll illegal immigrants. > > And yes, it _is_ about bigotry and not about them breaking the law; if it wasn’t, the Republicans would be pushing at least as hard for a crackdown on the employers of illegal labor. Instead, they want to stomp on poor brown people, and give tax breaks to rich people. And I was going to mention this as well. The fact that they’re brown people that speak a different language lends itself nicely into Nativism and racism. If Canadians were pouring across the borders, we wouldn’t have as big of a problem because they’re white and speak English. There are all sorts of thinly veiled racist notions going on. As an aside, do you think Mexico would empty out completely if we opened our borders up completely? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/32 "2006-04-08T01:50:03Z")
Hispanics make up a higher percentage of the US population than ever before. Hispanic things are showing up in all kinds of places. Last year a supermarket chain (it might have been Publix. It might have been Winn Dixie) caused some minor outrage when it announced that instead of making Spanish ads for Telemundo and Univision, and English ads for all the other channels, its Florida ads would combine English and Spanish and use subtitles. Many fast food franchises in Florida have caramel milkshakes and ice cream. Rarely is this listed as caramel. Instead, the menu says “chocolate, vanilla, dulce de leche”. Various Hispanic groups want all ballots printed in both English and Spanish. The amount of Hispanics doing Hispanic things, and the percentage of Hispanics who speak little English has lead to many people feeling that Hispanics ‘Don’t want to learn our language, American culture, or really be Americans’ or ‘They want to get rid of English and make everything Spanish’ and especially ‘Soon, everybody will speak Spanish instead of English, and _we’ll_ be the minority’ The people who feel threatened think that the growth of the Hispanic population can be slowed or reversed by expelling illegal immigrants and securing the borders. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/33 "2006-04-08T15:02:55Z")
> [@Least Original User Name Ever](#): > > And I was going to mention this as well. The fact that they’re brown people that speak a different language lends itself nicely into Nativism and racism. If Canadians were pouring across the borders, we wouldn’t have as big of a problem because they’re white and speak English. There are all sorts of thinly veiled racist notions going on. > > As an aside, do you think Mexico would empty out completely if we opened our borders up completely? Very good point! Here in the NE, there are thousands of canadians living and working here-most don’t even change their license plates! The government does nothing-a new house went up across the street-it was built by canadian carpenters-why? I’ll tell you…they probably were paid under the table, so they report ni income and pay no taxes. Meanwhile, an American carpenter (who HAS to file and pay taxes) loses out.Recently, Tom Reilly (candidate for MA Governor) sponsored a campaighn to give the children of illegal aliens in-state tuition rates at state colleges. Nevermind that “harboring” an illegal is a Federal crime. As I say, substantial forces want illegal immigration to continue-and that is why the laws are never enforced. I support immigration (legal) and it is in this countrie’s interest to get young, hard working immigrants. But I don’t see the benefit of bringing in people who work in the underground economy, pay no taxes, yet get free services. I also don’t want muslim immigrants-they do notr assimilate and pose a problem-look at Denmark! ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/34 "2006-04-08T15:18:04Z")
The Democrats hope to build a power base among the new immigrants, legal and illegal. The Republicans want cheap labor. Niether party really gives much of a damn about how all this impacts working people who are already here except to denounce us as racist when we try to talk about how the quality of our lives is being eroded. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/35 "2006-04-08T17:21:16Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > The Democrats hope to build a power base among the new immigrants, legal and illegal. The Republicans want cheap labor. Niether party really gives much of a damn about how all this impacts working people who are already here except to denounce us as racist when we try to talk about how the quality of our lives is being eroded. Cos California was so much nicer in the 1930’s when all the fruit pickers where white people. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/36 "2006-04-08T18:38:54Z")
The following impression was gained through listening to my relatives ranting and overhearing my co-workers ranting. It angers many Americans that non-citizens benefit from government services. They feel that safety nets and other taxpayer supported resources, like unemployment, public schools, welfare or Medicaid should only benefit taxpayers. They believe that illegal immigrants and their children and other family members get such benefits and they do not contribute by paying income taxes, and whether accurate or not, they believe that employers do not pay payroll taxes on illegal immigrants. Some also believe that illegal immigrants force wages down because they flood the market with people willing to accept low wages and do undesirable jobs. They believe that illegal immigrants that cross back and forth can afford to do this by living in Mexico, which the Americans believe has a much lower cost of living. They believe that ones that do not live in Mexico are willing to put up with low wages and bad working conditions because they cannot avail themselves of legal recourses to correct the situation without being sent back to Mexico and even living on next to nothing in America it better than living in Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2006, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/37 "2006-04-08T22:10:58Z")
From the Simpson’s episode _Much Apu About Nothing_ as summarized by [The Simpson’s archive](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/3F20.html) > [@](#): > > Quimby: Are those morons getting dumber or just louder? > Assistant: [checks his clipboard] Dumber, sir. > – Dumb and dumber, “Much Apu About Nothing” > > “They want the bear patrol but they won’t pay taxes for it.” Quimby > thinks of a novel solution. He announces that taxes are high because > of illegal immigrants and that they should be disposed of. > > Immigants! I knew it was them! Even when it was the bears, I knew it > was them. > – Moe Szyslak, “Much Apu About Nothing” > > In one week, the town will vote on a special referendum on > Proposition 24, the proposition to get rid of immigrants. Everyone > cheers, including Quimby. ---
**Author:** ![pantom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/34f0e0/32.png) [@pantom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantom)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/38 "2006-04-09T00:08:03Z")
Certainly is dumb and dumber. I’ve actually been kind of restrained in terms of describing just how stupid it is to bring up immigration as a problem at this time. I don’t believe it’s possible to be stupider, unless you still believe in Saddam’s WMD’s. The problem laid out in simple terms that anyone can understand: ```auto Population in each age group year 2005 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 18-24 29156 30481 29339 32533 34841 36895 55-64 30376 36186 42732 39378 41629 45721 Net -1220 -5705 -13393 -6845 -6788 -8826 source: [Statistical abstract, table 12](http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/06statab/pop.pdf) ``` That net number is the amount the workforce will shrink, absent an increase in either immigration or birth rates. (Because of immigration, slack in the potential labor force, and the fact that not all 55-64 year olds are going to retire, and even if they did they wouldn’t all at once, the workforce is still increasing. Won’t last.) That will also mean a shrinking GDP and a fiscal crisis that will make what we’re seeing today look like pennies, absent truly massive increases in productivity, _and_ a willingness on the part of the working population to part with the earnings from those productivity increases to fund pensions and elder health care. For birth rates to go up, the first prerequisites will have to be affordable health care and universally available day care, convenient and priced to sell. If you don’t want to pay the taxes to fund that kind of thing (see **Larry Borgia** ’s post above), immigration will have to be the solution. I have a feeling, don’t ask me why, that for all the bloviation we’re seeing in DC at the moment, immigration is going to be the preferred solution. ---
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/39 "2006-04-09T02:03:08Z")
> [@lee](#): > > Some also believe that illegal immigrants force wages down because they flood the market with people willing to accept low wages and do undesirable jobs. Well, at least they have one legitimate argument out of the whole bunch. ---
**Author:** ![LonesomePolecat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a88e57/32.png) [@LonesomePolecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonesomePolecat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709/40 "2006-04-09T02:20:49Z")
> [@pantom](#): > > Certainly is dumb and dumber. > I’ve actually been kind of restrained in terms of describing just how stupid it is to bring up immigration as a problem at this time. I don’t believe it’s possible to be stupider, unless you still believe in Saddam’s WMD’s. This is a deliberate misrepresentation. The controversy isn’t about immigration in general, it is specifically about **illegal** immigration. Such transparent misrepresentations are both stupid and dishonest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-illegal-immigration-become-an-issue-now/351709.md?page=3)